Abominations are actions and attitudes that provoke intense disgust and loathing in God, often tied to idolatry and pagan practices. They include idolatry, pride, dishonesty, homosexuality, sodomy, incest, abortion, sorcery, lying, murder, and unclean acts like eating forbidden meat or sexual relations during menstruation. Hebrew terms like toebah and shiqquts, and the Greek bdelugma, emphasize their detestable nature, linked to spiritual uncleanness and rebellion. Anything placed before God—self, possessions, or humanism—becomes an idol and an abomination. Such sins, if unrepented, lead to severe consequences, including exclusion from God's Kingdom and destruction. These abominations, rampant in society, reject God's will, creating a stench in His nostrils and inviting His judgment.

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Abomination

Sermonette by Martin G. Collins

The concept of abominations carries significant weight, reflecting actions and attitudes that provoke great disgust and hatred in the eyes of God. An abomination, as understood through various definitions, encompasses anything hateful and disgusting, synonymous with loathing, abhorrence, and repugnance. Biblically, it often relates to heathen gods, idolatry, and pagan practices, marking them as detestable. In the Old Covenant, several Hebrew words translate to abomination, each with nuanced meanings. The word "shiqquts," used about 36 times, often means to be abominable, associated with uncleanness and idolatry, including things not to be touched, eaten, or worshipped. Another prevalent term, "toebah," appearing over 123 times, signifies doing abominably, especially in practices linked to idolatry, such as child sacrifice. God's Word identifies numerous actions as abominations to Him, including idolatry, uncleanness, unjust weights and measures, incest, adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, lying, stealing, offerings to other gods, child sacrifice, sorcery, hiring a prostitute, eating unclean meat, and even pride. In the New Testament, the Greek word "pdelugma," derived from a root meaning to stink, translates to abomination or abominable, used eight times. It conveys loathsomeness and disgust, particularly tied to idolatry and hypocrisy, which is seen as another form of idolatry by presenting a false self. Abomination's constant association with idolatry reveals that pride and what is highly esteemed among men constitute idolatry in the human heart. Anything placed before God, be it self, possessions, or status, becomes an idol and thus an abomination to Him. Ultimately, those who commit abominations as a way of life are deemed abominable, facing severe consequences as outlined in Scripture. This persistent behavior marks a profound departure from God's will, highlighting the gravity of such actions and attitudes.

What Is an Abomination?

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

An abomination, as defined biblically, is something that excites disgust and hatred, often tied to idolatry, heathen gods, and various pagan practices. God calls numerous objects and actions abominations, reflecting His greatest disdain for things that are morally disgusting, spiritually dangerous, or repulsive. In the Old Testament, the primary Hebrew word for abomination, to'ebah, used 117 times, describes something or someone as dangerous and sinister, frequently connected to idolatry and its practices. Other Hebrew words like sheqets, used for detestable or unclean things, and piggul, relating to impurity, also convey God's revulsion toward such acts or objects. While abominations are consistently associated with idolatry, God's Word reveals that many other human actions are abominable, including uncleanness, unjust weights and measures, incest, adultery, homosexuality, sodomy, lying, stealing, offerings to pagan gods, child sacrifice, sorcery, the hire of a prostitute, and eating unclean meat. Pride itself is deemed abominable, as it constitutes idolatry in the human heart. Anything placed before God is an abomination, and all sin falls into this category, though some sins suggest a greater degree of depravity and rebellion. In the New Testament, the Greek word bdelygma, meaning something reprehensible or detestable, often refers to forms of idolatry. Christ declares to the Pharisees that what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God, emphasizing that anything valued more than Him becomes an idol. People themselves can be abominable when living a sinful life, as their hypocrisy and disobedience render them loathsome and detestable. The seriousness of being abominable is underscored in Revelation, where the abominable—those who sin, especially through idolatry—face the lake of fire rather than salvation. Abominations represent a rejection of God's way of life and an acceptance of satan's influence. They encompass anything prioritized over God or any detestable act, thought, or word against others, creating a stench in the nostrils of God.

Guard Against Being an Abomination to God

Sermon by Kim Myers

We are living in a country where things that are an abomination to God are increasing daily, especially in the Israelitish nations. To God, an abomination is something greatly disliked, something He loathes, detests, and finds vile, shameful, and disgusting. God hates the actions we take that are abominations to Him. Idolatry is an abomination to God, defined as the worship of someone or something other than Him, including devotion to jobs, money, mates, children, hobbies, or homes—anything that comes between us and God, His laws, His statutes, and His judgments. Even we can become idols to ourselves, as seen during the Covid pandemic when some of God's people did not assemble for Sabbath services or keep Passover, prioritizing their health over God's laws, thus becoming an abomination to Him. False weights and measures are also an abomination to God, representing dishonesty and cheating others. This applies to us when we fail to give an honest day's work for our wages, cheating our employers and falling into this category of uncleanliness. Pornography is an abomination to God, leading to grave sins within families such as rape, molestation, and incest. Sodomy, defined as sexual relations with the same sex or with an animal, and incest, sexual relations between closely related persons forbidden by law, are also abominations under the category of uncleanliness. Additionally, having sexual relations with a wife during her menstrual cycle is considered unclean and an abomination to God. Sacrificing children, as ancient Israel did to Molech, is an abomination to God. Today, abortion is seen as sacrificing children for convenience, a practice widespread in Israelitish countries and detestable to Him. Sorcery and necromancy are abominations to God. Sorcery involves the use of evil supernatural power over people, while necromancy is divination through communication with the spirits of the dead, both actions deeply offensive to Him. God also hates a proud look, characterized by haughtiness and a feeling of being better than others. A lying tongue is an abomination, prevalent in our culture through constant deception by government and media. Hands that shed innocent blood, or murder, are detestable to God, as even hatred is seen as akin to murder. A heart that devises wicked plans, feet swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren are all abominations to God, causing division and conflict among His people. These abominations are widespread in the world and spill over into God's church. It is easy for us to get caught up in these things, often without realizing that our actions are an abomination to God. We must guard our minds at all times against these detestable practices.

A Simple Proposition

CGG Weekly by Ryan McClure

To God's people who know their Bibles, homosexuality is clearly wrong and a violation of God's laws. The Bible labels homosexuality as an abomination, perverted, unclean, against nature, and shameful. Scriptures such as Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Deuteronomy 23:17, Judges 19:22, Romans 1:24, Romans 1:26, and Romans 1:27 affirm this stance. Paul lists sodomites among lawbreakers and sinners in I Timothy 1:8-10, and warns in I Corinthians 6:9-10 that those who do not repent of this sin will not inherit the kingdom of God. The Bible is neither short nor ambiguous in its denunciation of homosexuality, stating that eternal death is the payment for this sin if unrepented. The same sin that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah continues to erode our culture and will eventually lead to its destruction. God will not abide sinners in His Kingdom, as declared in Revelation 21:8 and 22:15.

Humanism Dominates

Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The breaking of the First Commandment is the gravest sin, as it opens the door to violating all other commandments and epitomizes self-centered carnality, pushing God entirely from consideration in one's conduct. Idolatry, which is giving greater influence to someone or something over one's actions, thoughts, attitudes, or life choices than to the Creator God, is consistently named by God as the cause of His punishments across history. Humanism, the modern form of idolatry, is a way of life dominated by the dictates of human nature, preferring it over God's will. This rejection of God is evident in the seven abominations that God hates, which are rampant in society today. Haughty eyes reflect the pride of humanism, standing in sharp opposition to God by rejecting submission to Him. Lying tongues spread falsehoods about God through media, flooding the airwaves with confusion. Through abortion, the most innocent are murdered before leaving the womb, while murders on the streets escalate alarmingly. Hearts plot evil, and feet race to do wrong, as seen in demands for costly services from a debt-ridden government and a culture of entitlement. False testimonies before government committees undermine peace. All seven of these abominations—pride, lies, murder, evil plotting, eagerness for wrong, false witness, and sowing discord—are committed with impunity by humanistic leadership in government, education, business, media, religion, and entertainment, who have seized control over vital aspects of the nation while God is entirely absent from their operations.

As In the Days of Lot

'Prophecy Watch' by Earl L. Henn

God reveals that when His people accept the attitude that homosexuality is normal, they have begun to tread the path that will ultimately lead to their destruction. As we see the same conditions that existed in the days of Lot developing today, we can take comfort that the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ is drawing near. When He comes, He will make the Spirit of God available to all, and homosexuals will be taught that they can repent and change. He will cleanse the earth from all unrighteousness and perversion, and show all people how to live the way that leads to peace, happiness, and joy.

The Will of the People

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

The legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States on May 17, 2004, marks a significant departure from divine principles, as it embraces practices deemed abominations in the sight of God. This act, following the precedent set by other Israelitish nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada, reflects a societal descent akin to the moral decay of Gomorrah. Despite a majority of Americans, 63%, opposing this union according to a Quinnipiac University poll, the lack of will to amend the Constitution to ban such practices reveals a troubling apathy. This disparity between public opinion and action underscores a failure to uphold the sanctity of the family, the fundamental building block of civilization, which is now under threat by these abominations.

Would Jesus Approve of Same-Sex Marriage?

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The apostle aligns with Old Testament law on homosexuality, affirming that God will not accept into His Kingdom those who engage in such practices. In I Timothy 1:8-11, he labels sodomites as lawless, insubordinate, ungodly, sinners, unholy, and profane, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Jesus Himself, while not explicitly addressing homosexuality in the gospels, provides a definitive stance on marriage in Matthew 19:3-6, stating that God created humanity as male and female from the beginning, and that a man shall leave his father and mother to be joined to his wife, becoming one flesh. He emphasizes that what God has joined together, man must not separate. Through this, Jesus clearly opposes same-sex marriage, as it does not align with the formal qualifications of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, nor does it reflect God's original intent for humanity to be in His image through complementary genders. Male-male and female-female unions contradict God's purpose of producing offspring and consummating marriage as one flesh, disregarding any emotions or attractions that might exist. Jesus, as God in the flesh, sets the boundaries of marriage for His followers, excluding same-sex unions from His definition.

Urgency to Get Closer to God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Kim Myers

In considering the state of our times, we must reflect on what God deems as abominations, for these are grave offenses in His sight. Idolatry stands as an abomination to the Lord, provoking Him to anger as seen in Deuteronomy 32:16-17, where foreign gods and sacrifices to demons incite His jealousy. Unjust weights and measures, the act of cheating or taking advantage, are likewise detestable, as Proverbs 11:1 declares dishonest scales an abomination, while a just weight delights Him. Uncleanness and sodomy are also abominations, with Leviticus 18:22 explicitly stating that lying with a male as with a woman is forbidden. Incest and other forms of perversion, detailed in Leviticus 18:6, 18:23, and 18:29, carry severe consequences, cutting off those who commit such acts from their people. Adultery, too, is an abomination, as Leviticus 18:20 warns against defiling oneself carnally with a neighbor's wife. Sorcery and necromancy are abhorred by God, as Deuteronomy 18:10-12 lists witchcraft, soothsaying, and calling up the dead among the practices that drive out nations before Him. Engaging with prostitution is another abomination, a sin that pervades society and tempts many. Beyond these, Proverbs 17:15 reveals that justifying the wicked and condemning the just are equally abominable to the Lord, reflecting a moral inversion where right is called wrong and wrong is called right. Additionally, seven other abominations are noted: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart devising wicked imaginations, feet swift to mischief, a false witness spreading lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. These sins, prevalent even in governance, underscore the pervasive moral decay surrounding us, urging a deep urgency in aligning with God's will.

Right? Wrong?

'Prophecy Watch' by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In an age of compromise, the blurring of right and wrong has become a certainty. Moral and ethical matters, resolved by consensus, sink toward the level of the lowest common belief in the community, driven by self-interest. Black becomes gray, and white becomes gray, as Isaiah cries out in Isaiah 5:20 against such abominations. Even in the medical profession, once guided by the Hippocratic Oath which prohibited abortion and euthanasia, there is now no consistent standard of ethics, reflecting the moral degeneration of our time.

Hollywood Propaganda: The Insidious LGBT Agenda (Part Three)

Commentary by David F. Maas

As God's saints, we cannot cease from sighing and crying for the damnable abominations in our midst, which are steadily increasing. These abominations, defying God's holy laws, include the promotion of sodomy and the murder of unborn infants, as seen in the actions of the current administration with appointments based on identity politics rather than competence. The push for transgender policies in sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms further exemplifies this defiance. Moreover, the media, through enterprises like Disney, has become a change agent, normalizing sexual perversion and accelerating the homosexual, lesbian, and transgender agenda with events like Gay Day and content featuring same-sex relationships and transgender themes. These actions, supported by influential figures and corporations, are a cancerous sore on our culture, moving such perversions from the margin into the mainstream, against the wholesome values once upheld.

The Torment Of The Godly

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021)

In the visions granted to Ezekiel, as recorded in chapter 8, God revealed a series of abominations committed within the very Temple in Jerusalem. Initially, Ezekiel beheld the image of jealousy, an idol set up in the sanctuary, driving God far from His holy place. This was followed by a greater abomination, as he uncovered a hidden chamber within the Temple court, its walls engraved with pagan idols, where the seventy elders of Israel conducted secret pagan worship. Further dismay struck Ezekiel as he witnessed women weeping for Tammuz, another pagan practice infiltrating Israelite society. The culmination of these visions showed twenty-five men in the inner court, turning their backs on the Temple to worship the sun toward the east in a pagan sunrise service. Each abomination surpassed the previous in its affront to God, prompting Him to ask if it was a trivial matter for the house of Judah to commit such acts right in His Temple, filling the land with violence and provoking His anger. God's response to these abominations was severe, declaring that He would act in fury, showing no pity or mercy, even if they cried out to Him. In chapter 9, Ezekiel saw a vision of judgment where God commanded the execution of the guilty, sparing none except those marked for sighing and crying over the abominations done in the city. These individuals, burdened by the sins they witnessed, were protected from the destruction, bearing God's mark as a sign of their anguish over the pervasive evil. To truly sigh and cry over such abominations requires knowledge of God's law, for sin is the transgression of that law, and without it, one cannot identify the true nature of these offenses. It demands awareness of the specific sins committed, watching and listening to the world around, yet remaining separate from its ways. Belief in God's definitions of sin is essential, accepting that practices like weeping for Tammuz are abominations as He declares. Finally, this response must be devoid of self-righteousness, reflecting genuine concern for the people and the scope of God's judgment, as Ezekiel demonstrated when he fell on his face, pleading for the remnant of Israel amidst the pouring out of God's fury.

The Writing of Prostitutes

'Prophecy Watch' by Martin G. Collins

In the context of spiritual and moral decay, God declares in Ezekiel 16:43 that Israel shall not commit lewdness in addition to all their abominations, as He will recompense their deeds upon their own heads. God has witnessed their adulteries, lustful behaviors, and the lewdness of their harlotry, labeling these as abominations on the hills and in the fields, questioning if they can still be made clean (Jeremiah 13:27). He further states that in their filthiness is lewdness (Ezekiel 24:13). Such abominations, often tied to idolatry, include nakedness and lewdness, and God decrees that whoever commits these shall be cut off from among their people (Leviticus 18:29). Uncovering another's nakedness, a euphemism for illicit sexual relations, defiles the land, causing it to vomit out its inhabitants (Leviticus 18:24-28). These acts of lewdness and sexual perversions, growing out of lust, are an affront to God, standing in direct violation of His law.

Homosexual Marriage?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

In the biblical perspective presented, abominations are grievous sins that stand in direct opposition to God's will, particularly concerning sexual morality. Homosexuality is explicitly labeled as an abomination in Leviticus 18:22, which states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." This condemnation is reinforced in Leviticus 20:13, declaring, "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." These passages underscore the severity of this sin in God's eyes, marking it as a perversion that warrants the strongest measures due to its profound impact on both the individual and society. The historical accounts in Genesis 13:13 and Genesis 19 further illustrate the wickedness associated with such abominations, describing the men of Sodom as exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord, culminating in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone as a direct act of divine judgment. This pervasive sin not only affected the primary participants but also radiated outward, influencing others, as seen in the actions of Lot's daughters post-destruction. In Deuteronomy 23:17, the term for perverted ones, qedeshah, is used to denote ritual homosexuality, linking it to a distorted sense of holiness and further emphasizing its abominable nature. This term reappears in various contexts, such as in I Kings 14:24, where perverted persons, qedeshim, are noted for practicing the abominations of the nations cast out by the Lord, highlighting a failure to uphold God's standards under certain kings, while others like Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Josiah actively removed such practices from the land. The New Testament echoes this condemnation, with Revelation 22:15 using the term kinaidos, akin to qedeshah, to describe those outside the Kingdom of God, barred from entering due to their sexually immoral practices. Romans 1:24-32 describes homosexuality as unclean, dishonorable, vile, unnatural, lustful, shameful, an error, debased, and unfitting, aligning with Old Testament views and noting that those who practice or approve of such acts are deserving of death. I Corinthians 6:9-11 and I Timothy 1:8-11 further list sodomites among the unrighteous who will not inherit the Kingdom of God, affirming that such abominations are contrary to the gospel and God's law. These references collectively portray abominations, particularly homosexuality, as sins that distort the natural order established by God, twist the mind, and corrupt society, necessitating divine judgment and exclusion from His presence unless repented of and forsaken.

Zeal

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

Jesus warns that our zeal must exceed that of the Pharisees. Zeal involves earnestness in advancing a cause, diligence, and plowing ahead with great fervor.

Hands That Shed Innocent Blood

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

In the eyes of the Almighty, certain acts stand as abominations, grievous sins that provoke His righteous indignation. Among these, as revealed in Proverbs 6:16-17, are a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood—three wicked characteristics epitomized by the act of abortion. God hates these with a fierce hatred, for they defy His sacred law of life. The shedding of innocent blood, as seen in the scourge of abortion, is an abomination that stains the hands of a nation. Isaiah 59:1-4 and 7 speak to this separation from God, declaring that iniquities have hidden His face, with hands defiled by blood and lips speaking lies. The feet of the wicked run to evil, hastening to shed innocent blood, their paths marked by wasting and destruction. This describes a society that embraces such acts, turning from justice and truth. Hosea 4:1-2 further indicts a land devoid of truth, mercy, and knowledge of God, where lying, killing, and bloodshed reign without restraint. This mirrors a culture that approves the murder of the unborn, a sin that brings divine judgment upon all, as Hosea 4:6 warns that rejection of God's knowledge leads to destruction, with even the children forgotten by Him due to the people's disobedience. God's law, as given through Moses in Deuteronomy 27:25, curses those who take payment to slay the innocent, a principle that condemns the abortion movement built on lies and deceit. Exodus 23:7 commands to keep far from false matters and not to kill the innocent, for God will not justify the wicked. His judgment stands firm against such abominations, ensuring that no one escapes the consequences of violating His will as the Lord of life.

Whoever Loves and Practices a Lie

Sermon by Charles Whitaker

In Revelation 21:8, Christ lists three spiritual conditions and four behaviors, all of which He links to deceit and which will lead to the Lake of Fire.

The Torment of the Godly (Part One)

'Prophecy Watch' by Charles Whitaker

God's prophets have a difficult job. Seeing the world through God's eyes, they are tormented by the rising tide of sin and the coming destruction.

Halloween

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

True Christians do not celebrate Halloween. It is pagan in origin and practice and will destroy one's relationship with God. Light and darkness cannot mix.

Sin And Overcoming (Part 1): If Anyone Sins!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

We are obligated to uphold a higher standard of morality, responsible for the letter and spirit of the law, as well as the prompts of our consciences.

The Commandments (Part Two)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Idolatry constitutes the fountainhead from which all other sins flow, all of which amplify obsessive self-centeredness and self-indulgence.

Assassination of Character

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

Assassinations have occurred frequently. There is an extremely dangerous kind of assassination—namely, character assassination through murmuring and gossip.